Trying on the Dragon's wings

[Wei Lin]

"I don't care how it seems, as long as it works," they wave a hand dismissively.

Already helping? I'll believe it when I see it. But a moment of doubt is safely hidden in the deepest thoughts, no change on Wei Lin's face.

There was one, an uncomfortable frown at feeling the other Beast, making their own cower and retreat for a moment. But no words were spoken, a silent acceptance as fair was fair.

The question plunged Wei Lin in a long minute of thought. It wasn't easy to pick when you didn't know what your options were. Still, they knew what they needed, the real question was weather it was possible.

"The Beast. The control of it, as much as I can possibly get. Especially in extreme circumstances."

They shivered, the memories of moments out of control fresh and grating in the mind's eye.

"Same with Hunger. Anything else can come later."

Wei Lin returned a questioning look at Dirt Nap, waiting for what comes next.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap stares at Wei Lin for a long minute.

Then he nods. "I can understand both of those needs." He says. "The first Coil I took on was to be able to shut down a frenzy, any kind dead in it's tracks no matter what was going on, blood, fire, whatsoever."

He is still and quiet now for a long minute. "I'm working the preliminaries now for a Coil that eventually should leave me able to stuff myself with kine food, and not feel the hunger for their blood, for a while, until I throw up the food that is." He offers.

Dirt Nap stares at Wei Lin. "If I take you on, it's liable to not just be taking a chance of ending your time upright; it's guaranteed to be humiliating and uncomfortable and dirty. Real dirt mind you, not some kind of story about politics." He warns.

"And another thing. It will be about following orders absolutely and answering to the title of 'slave' which is a title make no doubt about that, as most don't ever get as far as to claim it. The orders won't make no sense more often than not, and it might get a little better after your first Coil, when you move up from 'slave', but the obedience is a life long thing in the Ordo Dracul."

He pauses and then says, "Can you cook good?"

[Wei Lin]

Wei Lin's eyes were full of hope, as they listened. Stop the Frenzy? What they would had gave to have that ability, just a little bit sooner. Maybe things would turn out different, much, much different.

"Fascinating..." they breathed out, wondering if there was a way to keep the food too, or was it too wistful of them. Even then, suppressing Hunger with kine's food? Amazing, simply amazing.

They refocused, listening intently as Dirt Nap spoke. There was a surge of pride, of the entitled feeling of supremacy to be called a slave. How dared anybody call them that? Wei Lin's nostrils flared with the surge of anger... and then it receded. What use was their pride when they were bound and beaten? Did anger served them any good in those split moments of decisions being made, of hanging on the edge of unlife and final death?

It did not. It was useless, and painful, and they wished to forget it and always remember, because it made them stronger.

Stronger still they needed to be.

But the simple, mundane question shattered all the brooding thoughts in a second, leaving Wei Lin depleted after the emotional storm. Scrambling for purchase in the shifting tides of their conversation.

"My cooking is decent, I was told, if a bit heavy on the spices."

Wei Lin bite their lip, a determined frown on their face, returning to the matter that they were here for.

"And I'm ready. Whatever it takes. I'll probably still complain, though... Hope you won't fault me too much for that," they offer a wary smile, only half-joking. "Can't say I'm looking forward to some of the things you mentioned, but there's always sacrifice to get something precious. One that I am willing to make."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap chuckles softly. "Complain all you like. It'll help the process by giving me an aiming point for whatever works best to make you uncomfortable. No mistake about that, the Change works because what we are hates change and fights it hard. So when it does finally change, it sticks. My job is to get you prepared by making you uncomfortable, out of your routine and what's preferable to you nonstop."

He stares at Wei Lin's place and furnishings for a long minute.

Then he says, "You can quit any time. Probably should. Could be saving your life."

He pauses and says, "If you want to do this, first thing, I'll be moving in here. And giving over my phone number for you to answer and take messages and only bother me if it's important." He states, waiting for objections or the promised complaints.

[Wei Lin]

That would be the first who took that out of somebody's complaining for sure... But it does make some sense.

"Could you tell me more about the process? Anything at all?"

There was a healthy amount of curiosity. More, probably, as Dragons were always secretive about their work, and Wei Lin's passion for secrets was rather tempted to start learning immediately.

"No quitting. We've been through that, not an option for me."

She'd be annoyed, but Dirt Nap's next words hit her like a rock over the head. She stared, blinking in disbelief, waiting to be told it's just a joke. Apparently, it wasn't.

"You're... serious, I take it." Well, it would certainly make me uncomfortable, she clenched her teeth, trying to quell another rise of her temper. "I'll make you a set of keys tomorrow. And something tells me any ground rules would be just the things for you to do on purpose, so I'll skip those."

There was a nervous energy building for the entire discussion, and the announcement of having to share her living space with a virtual stranger was the boiling point. Wei Lin stood, pacing around to walk off whatever anxiety was churning in her gut. But there was another feeling, almost as scary, but with the potential to be magnificent. Something she had to make sure in.

She whirled back to face Dirt Nap, her intent eyes firmly on his.

"Does that mean you agree to take me on? To teach me?"

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap observes Wei Lin keenly, clinically.

When they master their emotions enough to ask the only relevant question, he nods perhaps even with a hint of approval.

"Yes. You asked for it, and I am going to take a chance and put some faith in you. Whatever happens, even if you quit tomorrow, you can say you were a Dragon, Slave Wei Lin." He pronounces.

He gets up. "If you have any more questions that can't wait, ask me now. Otherwise I am going to let you set with the idea for a bit and dig up my stuff. I'll be back in about an hour. Please have keys for me by then, unless you decide it's not worth it while I'm gone."

I am good to close or continue as you wish! Fun scene! Thank you! By the way give yourself status 1 in the Ordo Dracul!!

[Wei Lin]

For a moment, the unease, the fear of the unknown, the pain of the past, everything was lifted with that final, most important acknowledgement. Wei Lin smiled, a little giggle of happiness bubbling in her chest, reveling in the little victory.

This is it.

The very first step on the new path. Her own to the new image of herself, a better one.

Even if it came with the distasteful title, she'd take it.

"I'll have them for you then," she said with confidence. She'd dig up the key maker out of the bed if she had to.

"And we'll have plenty of time to talk, I suppose. Just... Thank you. I won't let you down," the voice soft and rough with the emotion. Whatever happens further, she had this moment.

Yay!! Such fun, thank you!